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Michael David
Nasarawa State farmers are expecting bountiful harvest as state government is ready to Institutionalising Federal Government/International Funds for Agriculture Development -Value Chain Development Programme (FG/IFAD-VCDP), beyond 2026 in the state.
They have also confessed how VCDP training has help them to recorded bountiful harvest in Nasarawa State.
Their expression was made known at the one day VCDP stakeholders engagement programme held in Lafia the capital,
Speaking at the programme, the Nasarawa State commissioner for Agriculture Honourable Tanko Tunga, said that the ministry expressed optimism with the activities of VCDP , adding that the state government would ensure the sustainability of the VCDP programme beyond 2026.
The commissioner for Agriculture explained that Nasarawa State would not leave any stone unturned to continue and to support the programme because of it physical projects in the state.
According to Tanko Tunga,” We will do everything possible within our reach to see that sustainability goes beyond 2026. VCDP will not stop by 2026. It may faint for some minutes and will get back to life to continue to live stronger and stronger.
” The governor of Nasarawa State state, Eng. A.A. Sule, is open and is out to support programme like this for the transformation of the agricultural sector in this state.
In a welcome remark, the state coordinator of Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP), Dr. Eunice Adgidzi, explained that the stakeholders engagement meeting was to exchange an ideas with policy makers and stakeholders in the agriculture sector to how the can Institutionalising VCDP programme in Nasarawa State.
She said that few weeks ago, there was similar engagement like this where the ministry of agriculture in conjunction with NASIDA, called on stakeholders to drive policy on agriculture in the state.
According to Dr. Eunice, “I know that this meeting is the right step in the right direction. Why are we calling on state government to drive policies that will institutionalised agriculture in Nasarawa State? We have realized that we have so much as our potential in Nasarawa State.
” If governor is already taking the bull by the horn to be a farmer, you know, there’s farming our way,” she said.
The state coordinator of Value Chain Development Programme who also informed that the programme has done a lot in the state; added that all stakeholders at the meeting know the areas the can touch on to come up with policies that the state can drive on and do better in agriculture sector in the state.
Also on his speech Dr. Peter Akwe house member representing Obi I at the state assembly who double as a chairman house committee on agriculture said that based on the engagement, he discovered VCDP has achieved a lot on the agriculture in the state.
Dr. Peter Akwe, called on the VCDP to extend their programme to other sectors of agriculture for bountiful harvest in the state.
The house member however added that with the launched of NASACO rice in the, Nasarawa State can feed its citizens and others in the country.
Also on his presentation of scored card of the FGN/IFAD -VCDP knowledge Management Communication Officer Mr. Akwe Samson Jonath informed the stakeholders that VCDP had trained 62 beneficiaries on production of organic manure for rice and cassava farmers and 190 farmers benefited from VCDP’s Automatic Weather Station (AWS) in Doma LGA. 393 farmers benefited from the payment of premium for rice and cassava Farmers across the 5 LGAs.
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